Caffeine Overdose

“I’ll take a half-caf, skinny latte,” I heard today while in line at Starbucks. She got hers, while the rest of us in line for our java fix awaiting our turns. Without the thought of rehab, we have our digital devices, sugar and caffeine that are normal parts of many American’s daily routine.

Addictive substances are everywhere in our lives, and I’ll admit that while most would say that crack, cocaine, meth and heroin are deadly, we often hedge with the others. I love the idea of broadening the descriptors to include:

ADDICTED
AFFLICTED and
AFFECTED

As in, “I’m am afflicted by a sideways sort of _______________.”
Or, “I’m addicted to __________________.”
And even, “I’m affected by ______________________ in a way I want to change.”

We all have a hierarchy of focus in what we consume: what’s good and how good, what’s bad and how bad, and all the little things that fill up the in-between. What to make of caffeine then? It is one of those little things in between that not only lives in most of our lives, but is something we’ve become beholden to. I know I get a headache in the morning when I don’t have my coffee.

For some it’s become an even bigger problem. CBS news[1] reported the death of an 18-year-old young man, who was found dead of an overdose of pure caffeine a few years ago. No misquote here. The coroner said, “we had never seen this before.”

While caffeine has long been used in energy and weight-loss supplements, this tragedy begs us to pause and examine how caffeine lives and hides in our lives. It turns out, according to that article,that supplemental caffeine is easy to acquire and buy in large quantities online.

Bottom line is that any drug, including caffeine can be dangerous when consumed in massive quantities. Remember that just because a substance is legal to buy, doesn’t mean it’s safe. There are many legal substances today that will eventually be illegal, the FDA just needs a hot minute to play catch up.Meanwhile, I always challenge clients to inventory the ingredients they consume every day and on occasion. Once the list exposes the truth of what choices are being made, only then can we create a new go-to list with replacements to crowd out the dangerous ones. Honey instead of saccharin. Sparkling water with a lime wedge instead of a diet soda. Fresh fruit instead of cookies. Decaf instead of regular coffee in the afternoon. Each little change has an impact. Each shift brings you closer to living a fuller, more healthful life.

How might you adjust your intake today? The pink and yellow sweeteners. The diet sodas. The double shot of espresso. The processed snacks. Be open to asking and answering questions like these and more. How good can you get?